


So Wrong (It Must Be Right)

by orphan_account



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Angst, Christmas, Love Actually References, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-20
Updated: 2012-12-20
Packaged: 2017-11-21 15:54:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,745
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/599535
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They're playing in Madison Square Gardens and their life is incredible, but there are also publicity stunts and rumours and it gets hard. And Harry feels wrong, but maybe he's just in love with his best friend.</p>
            </blockquote>





	So Wrong (It Must Be Right)

**Author's Note:**

> thanks to failingmydegreebecauseof1d and yougorgeousmotherfucker (both on tumblr) for their help and advice!

It’s December, and looking back this is definitely the best year so far. A world tour, a second album, and right now, they’re playing in Madison Square Gardens. Over the deafening screams of thousands of teenage girls Harry can’t even hear his own thoughts. He feels fairly overwhelmed, but elated to the point where he couldn’t wipe the grin off of his face if he tried.   
And yet.  
And yet there’s something wrong, and he isn’t quite sure what it is. He just has a feeling niggling in his chest. Now isn’t the time, though, so he pushes it from his mind and focuses on Louis instead. Louis is singing his solo in Little Things and he glows brighter than the sun. Something about that thought makes it all a little better.

-

He’s finally back in the UK, and, okay, Taylor is here too, but he guesses that’s alright because by now they’re friends (albeit friends with publicity stunt benefits) and wandering through small country towns with her is quite nice, actually. Peaceful, even considering the paparazzi who have been sent to photograph them. He still feels sort of wrong, somehow, but he thinks he’s just tired and ready to be home for Christmas. He misses his family. And he misses his bandmates. 

-

Holmes Chapel smells the same as it has ever since Harry was a little boy. He’s sleeping in his old room, having breakfast with his mum, wandering around town with Gemma. Something’s still not right, but that’s okay because at home he doesn’t have to be grown up and careful and serious and a pop star. He’s just Harry Styles, and he’s being looked after, and for now that’s enough.

-

He wakes up at five a.m. on Christmas Eve for the drive to Doncaster. The other boys will all be there in the afternoon, but he wanted to wake Louis up at the crack of dawn the way they used to when they lived together. That thought hits him like a steam train, and his chest constricts with a wave of sadness and everything is so wrong that he has to pull over until his breathing slows and he can see clearly again. He drives fast the rest of the way, pushing the speed limit, and arrives by seven in the morning. Daisy and Phoebe – his co-conspirators – are waiting to let him in the back door. The three of them wake Louis by jumping on top of him.

Louis is happy to see his best mate, but they’re both tired so they snuggle down in Louis’ bed and sleep for a few more hours. Harry feels better than he has all month, and if it has something to do with Louis’ arm draped over his waist then – then what? He’s not really sure, and it probably doesn’t matter. He just snuggles closer, wriggling his face into Louis’ neck.

The boys arrive just after noon. Niall immediately volunteers to help Jay in the kitchen, and the others can hear them gossiping like old housewives before they’re even halfway down the hall. Louis leads Harry, Liam and Zayn into the sitting room before flicking on the telly and channel-surfing until he finds a football match. Zayn stretches out on the sofa with his head on Liam’s lap. Liam card his fingers through Zayn’s hair, watching him squirm in protest, before turning his attention to the telly. Harry is too busy watching Louis talk (he’s not quite sure what his friend is talking about, he just has really nice lips, okay) to even notice. Everything feels good, until-

“Hey Lou?” Liam murmurs, careful not to disturb Zayn, who is now dozing. “Is Eleanor coming? I mean, since she wasn’t at the party and all-”

“We broke up.” The room stills. Louis looks around, surprised. “What, didn’t I tell you? We both realised that neither of us was actually interested in the other one any more.” 

Liam is at full puppy-eyes in less than five seconds. “Oh, Louis. I’m sorry, mate. Are you okay?” 

“Yeah, I am actually.” Louis looked quite pleased with himself. “I feel happier. Anyway, I don’t really want to talk about this on my birthday, so can we watch the match now?”

An odd emotion wells up in Harry’s chest. He’d already known about the break up – Eleanor had definitely not been as happy about it as Louis had, and for some completely unfathomable reason she had come to Harry for comfort. Louis had assured him over the phone that he was fine, but seeing his best friend in person – he feels happy. He’s happy that Louis isn’t upset, of course, but it is more than that. It’s a sort of vindictive pleasure and he doesn’t know what it means. All he knows is that he’s glad Louis is single.  
He slings his legs over the birthday boy’s lap and tries to focus on the television, and not the soft hands absently rubbing his ankles.

They all go out for dinner together – the boys, Louis’ family (including Lottie’s boyfriend), a few old friends of his including Stan, and Harry’s mum. Anne and Jay trade embarrassing stories about Harry and Louis while Louis groans dramatically, begging them to stop before he explodes in embarrassment. The two women only laugh, and Anne asked,  
“Did I ever tell you about the time Harry dressed up in one of my bras and paraded around the house?”

Fortune is in Harry’s favour, and their food arrives at that moment. Conversation is replaced with the sounds of chewing and satisfied sighs. Louis reached across to pinch a few of his chips, and Harry steals a bite of pizza in return. They grin at each other, and behind Louis’ head Harry sees Lottie and Martin tasting each others’ dishes too. It gives him a funny light feeling in his chest, the conviction that something is wrong coupled with a deep satisfaction that, in this moment, everything is perfect. He looks at Louis again, and Louis’ answering smile is more dazzling than the sun.

And it hits Harry, just like that.

He’s glad that he and his mum came in separate cars, because he really needs the drive home to think. And think he does, driving extra-slowly and carefully so that when he finally arrives in Holmes Chapel, his mum is already asleep and in bed. 

He’s halfway in the front door when he makes a decision. 

He gets back in the car and turns around, driving back the same way he came, and if he drives twice as fast it’s only because he’s wasted enough time being an idiot already and he needs to get a move on. 

It’s lucky Louis likes to stay up late, because by the time he’s back in Doncaster it’s past midnight. He has a pile of large cardboard sheets under one arm and he’s tucking a sharpie into his pocket as he approaches the french doors which lead from the back porch to Louis’ room. He knocks three times, then steps back nervously. Louis appears in the crack in the curtains, sees that it is Harry outside and opens the door.   
Harry puts a finger to his lips, hushing him. He’s not sure he can do this is Louis talks.   
Fortunately Louis just nods obediently and looks curiously at the pile of cardboard. Harry lifts them up in front of him so Louis can see.

Louis. I’m guessing you have pretty much no idea why I’m here right now. 

He lifts the top piece off so Louis can read the next one.

To be honest, I’m not entirely sure either.

When I was younger, I’d sort of imagined that at 18

I would be spending Christmas with a girl who looked like this:

(the next poster holds only a picture of Cara Delevingne, and Louis giggles, before nodding for Harry to continue.)

But lately I’ve realised that I want something else.

It’s Christmas now, and Christmas is a time to tell the truth,

So I’m just going to say this-

To me, you are perfect, Lou.

And I think I might be a bit in love with you.

Merry Christmas.

Harry puts the posters back under his arm, not daring to look at Louis’ face. He turns to leave, tears already pricking the corners of his eyes. It wasn’t like he had expected Louis to share his feelings, but it has still been an emotionally draining experience and he just needs to cry, okay. 

But suddenly there are hands on his arms, spinning him around, and Louis is cupping his face gently, eyes filled with wonder. He whispers, “Harry, you idiot. I love you too.”

And then he is pressing his lips against Harry’s and Harry drops the posters, putting his arms around Louis’ waist and kissing him back. Louis tastes like toothpaste and chocolate and honey, and Harry thinks this might be the best moment of his entire life. 

They break apart and Louis leans his forehead against Harry’s. “When did you- when did you start feeling that way?”

Harry blushes. “I dunno. I think maybe I’ve been in love with you for ages, but I only realised about a month ago.”

“Well I’ve wanted to kiss you since the X factor, so I’m quite glad you came to your senses.” Louis grins up at him, eyes sparkling and cheeks pink from the cold. “Come on, let’s get inside. You can have Christmas breakfast with us and then I’ll come to yours after lunch, yeah?”

Harry can only nod, allowing Louis to pull him into his bedroom. They fall asleep tangled together, Harry’s head against Louis’s neck and Lou’s face buried in his curls.

Jay finds the cardboard signs still outside in the snow the next morning. She calls Anne to tell her, and Anne says it’s about time. No one is very surprised when Harry and Louis announce that they are a couple. Simon only sighs resignedly and tells them that unless they want to be headline news and have thousands of paps following them they should keep it on the down low for a while. 

They move back in together and have sex in every room in the apartment, just because they can and because there is nothing funnier than watching Liam blush and leap into Zayn’s arms when Louis casually mentions that he’s sitting on the exact spot that Harry came on the night before. 

Harry feels right.

**Author's Note:**

> I'd really love some feedback, so thanks so much if you take the time to comment. I hope you enjoyed it.  
> You can also contact me on tumblr:  
> potter-styles.tumblr.com


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